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Rain Triggers Deadly Landslides in Java
Hangga Brata | February 23, 2012

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Solo. Torrential rain caused landslides in Central Java on Tuesday, claiming two lives, while one man died in West Java on Wednesday .

In Central Java’s Karanganyar district, the two victims were identified as Resowiyono, 60, from Karangpandan subdistrict, and Sukiningsih, 70, from Ngargoyoso subdistrict.

Witnesses said the landslides were triggered by heavy rain that had pounded the area since Monday night.

Heru Aji Pratama, the head of the district’s Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), said on Wednesday that the landslides occurred at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday night.

There were also reports that heavy rain had triggered landslides in neighboring Jenawi and Matesih subdistricts.

The rain also caused flooding in several areas of the nearby city of Solo. The neighborhood of Kampung Sewu, which lies close to the Bengawan Solo River, was reported to have suffered the brunt of the flooding.

“Several areas in Kampung Sewu and Sangkrah are underwater,” said Sumartono Hadinoto, from the Surakarta Red Cross.

“The Red Cross has sent food packages to help the evacuees.”

Monitors at Jurug Bridge reported the Bengawan Solo rose from 8.74 meters to 8.77 meters in an hour early on Wednesday. This effectively places the area under a level-three flood alert. That is two levels above normal.

Authorities said they would be unable to handle the increased volume of water, which is expected to flow out through tributaries and flood residential areas.

In neighboring Sukoharjo district, water from the overflowing Bengawan Solo destroyed damaged of homes on Wednesday. Authorities in Grogol subdistrict said up to 40 houses were hit and that water in the area reached 70 to 100 centimeters high.

Residents are seeking shelter in a nearby mosque. Police and soldiers have been deployed to monitor conditions.

In the Gegerbitung subdistrict of Sukabumi in West Java, an 82-year-old man was killed in a landslide on Wednesday .

Landslides in 11 locations cut off access to the South Sukabumi road.

Acu Sopiyan, head of the Sukabumi Public Works Agency, said workers were using heavy equipment to clear the roads.

Additional reporting from Antara